Bookrest



Juhe 16, 1931. T. GENSMER 1.810,205

BOOKREST F iled Feb. 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 Tirade/19 61 0mm T. GENSMER June 16, 1931.

BOOKREST' Filed Feb. 28. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 16, 1931 THEODORE GENSMER, OF PORTLAND, OREGON BOOKBEST Application filed. February 28, 1928. Serial No. 257,600.

The device in preferred form consists in a body element having a foot form at its lower extremity and having an adjusting leg disposed at its back for maintaining the bod element in a reclining position upon whic the object to be supported is maintained, means being provided for maintaining the object in placed position thereupon and in an open position. j

The primary purpose and object of my in vention consists in providing a simple and eflicient device for maintaining a book in an inclined position and in opened condition while the same is being perused by the user.

A further object of my invention consists in providing means adapted not only for use on books, but equally usable for manuscripts, note books and the like.

l/Vith these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claim, and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a front, plan view of the device having a book disposed thereupon.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism, illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective, front, view of the assembled device in preferred embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, in preferred embodiment of one of my new and improved devices in a slightly modified form, illustrated in position thereupon, a spring clip for manuscripts adapted for maintaining papers or manuscripts fixedly positioned upon the inclined body element.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, rear, view, taken r on line 6-6 ofFig. 5, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the spring clip in preferred embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of still a fur- 5 ther preferred embodiment of my device,

illustrated in Fig. 8, illustratingthe same in i an extended condition. 1 p

F 1g. 12 1s a front view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a rear view, taken on line 13-48 of Fig. 10, looking in the direction indicated. Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views. In preferred embodiment,

form the body element ,1, of sheet material and have upwardly inclined end terminals '2 and 3. An upwardly extending leg 4', is disposed at the rear of the device, against which the book back may be made to engage; I also form upwardly extending clamping bars 5 and 6 against which the clamp 7 may be relatively locked. The clamp 7 has two I form my de- I vice, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein I inwardly extending terminals 8 and 9 which t are formed at an obtuse-angle to the side walls 10 and 11, so that as the clamp 7 is po- 1 sitioned theends 8 and 9 will engage the body element 1 and will stress the ends thus maintaining the clamp 7 in a relatively locked position against the object to be supported, irrespective of theposition of the same. The cross bar 12 engages the leaves of the book and maintains the same in open,

placed position. An upstanding book sup"- port '13 is disposed at or near the rear of the body element 1, which is also formed preferably of round spring material having side walls 14 and 15, and having across bar 16 connecting the same upon which the book to be supported rests. Inwardly extending ends 17 and 18 engage beneath the clamping bars 19 and 20, the same being formed at an obtuse angle to the side walls of the same, stresses the same when raised to a substantial vertical position, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and

maintains the same in placed position. OE- sets 21 and 22 rest directly upon the body element 1, and maintains the upstanding book support in substantially right angle position to that of the body element 1.. When the device is made, as illustrated in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the two elements disposed at either end of the body element 1, may be folded down on the body element and occupy a minimum space for packaging and shipment. A slightly modified form may be made, as illustrated in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 wherein the book support 23 disposed upon the lower forward end of the body element 1, may be made to support the clamping element 24:. Inwardly extending ends being made to engage the clamping bars, as heretofore described, and maintaining the same in engagement with the book to be supported thereupon. lVhen made in this form the book is made to rest directly upon the body element 1, and the supporting leg made to downwardly extend from the body element 1, and rest upon the table or other supporting medium. This form of construc tion is particularly adapted tor the supporting of note books, papers, documents and the like, as illustrated in 26 and wherein a clamping element 27 may be made to engage the paper or manuscript and support the same. The same is preferably made or spring material, as illustrated in Fig, 7 and wherein the straight bar 28 may be made to engage the paper to be supported and a curved terminal 29 disposed upon the opposite end of the clamp may be made to engage the rear of the body element 1. A slightly modified form of my device may be made, as illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, wherein the body element 1 is made of sheet material and wherein the lower foot engaging member 30 is slidably disposed, the side walls of the 7 body element 1, so that the same may be extended downward for a substantial distance, the book, or paper, or manuscript being held. in position through the medium of the cross bar 31. Where the papers or documents or other material to be held are substantially long, an extensible element 32 may be disposed the upper end of the body element and slidably disposed therein. The leg support 33 icing downward extending from the upper portion of the body element and engage between the locking clamps 84,- and 35 in the manner heretofore described. It the material to be supported is relatively wide, extensible elements 36 and 87 may be disposed at the side or sides and be made to slide relatively to the body element beneath the clamps 38 and 39, 40 and %1 formed from the body element 1. If the papers or documents or other materials are to be held relatively fixed upon the body element 1,'the same may be ield by the clamping device 27, illustrated in Fig. 4 and in Fig. 7.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended toconfine the in vention to the one form of embodiment herein shown, and described, as it is susceptible oi embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows:

hat I claim is A book rest comprising a one-piece body element having one of its ends turned inwardly to form a ledge, openings disposed on the oppositely disposed edges of the body element in spaced relation, a clamping ele ment movably' associated with the ledge comprising a resilient member having an inwardly turned back, and downwardly turned arms having inwardly turned terminals adapted to fit the openings disposed within the ledge, said terminals being so shaped as to create a tension between the back of the resilient member and the body element, and a U-shaped resilient member having upturned arms and inwardly turned terminals, said terminals being disposed within the openings disposed within the body mei iber and being so constructed as to create a tension between the resilientmember and the body member, substantially as shown and described.

THEODORE GENSMER. 

